- What is glamping?: Glamping is, in short, glamorous camping.
- What’s so glam about glamping?: In glamping, you don’t have to set up your tent or gear.
- Do you go glamping in a tent?: You can go glamping in a safari tent, a cabin or pod, even a treehouse!
- What do you do while glamping?: You can try a wide range of campsite and local activities while glamping.
- Is glamping ‘real’ camping?: You can still visit rugged destinations and see stunning natural beauty while camping.
Over the past 5 years or so, more and more Australians want to have an authentic camping experience in the country’s vast, breathtaking backyard, but without the trouble of a tent or a campervan. We still want to rough it, up to a point, but we also like to come back to a real, full-sized bed at the end of the day. Enter: glamping, the glamorous form of camping.
What is glamping?
What can you expect from the luxurious fusion of camping and glamour we call glamping? Basically, glamping is a way of getting the camping experience, but without the need to pitch a tent or start your own fire. You still get to enjoy the great outdoors, fresh air, and stunning views, but you can relax at the end of the day with a little extra comfort.
What’s so glam about glamping?
No more sleeping on the ground in a sleeping bag – when you go glamping, you get to sleep in a proper bed, up off the floor. Rather than sitting on a tree stump or rock, you get to kick back in a deck chair, or even a sofa! You don’t have to set up or unpack a single thing, except for your clothes. More than that, the complete lack of prep time means that you get even more of your holiday time to relax!
Do you go glamping in a tent?
Yes, most glamping accommodations at campsites are safari tents. But these aren’t just your standard safari tents. No – a glamping tent is a gently illuminated gateway to a fabric-covered relaxation haven. There will be fairy lights, and there will be snacks.
But if you require just a touch more luxury, you’re in luck. Australia is also home to so many more glamping accommodation varieties. You could bed down for the weekend in a luxury cabin. Or, if you’re feeling more adventurous, try a treehouse, teepee, or yurt.
What do you do while glamping?
Relaxing and unwinding with a face mask and perhaps a couple of cucumber slices is undoubtedly a major part of the glamping experience. But it’s not a steadfast rule! After all, most holiday parks offer a range of fun sporting and play activities alongside their glamping and standard accommodation, like BMX tracks, children’s playgrounds, swimming pools, and, of course, cafés. And we haven’t even mentioned the nearby walking trails, restaurants, shops, and attractions you’ll most likely have the opportunity to explore too!
Is glamping ‘real’ camping?
There’s nothing to say it can’t be! Sure, you get a bit of decadence with your safari tent or your luxury cabin. But after your third mud mask of the day, there’s nothing to stop you from getting as rugged as you like with a barbecue or even a campfire. Even on a standard campsite, you’re likely to have access to a kitchen, or even nearby cafés and restaurants. Some glamping sites can be even ‘wilder’ than standard campsites – a tent pitched out in a forest, or even a treehouse or stargazing pod, for example.
The on-beach accommodation you’ll find at Beachcomber Holiday Park, for example, comes in cabin form. Nestled between Eurobodalla National Park, Potato Park, and Lake Tuross, this eco-tourism experience offers a vast range of aquatic, relaxing, and more active activities, from swimming and surfing to birdwatching and whale watching, plus bushwalking and mountain biking. The camp’s safari tents are also a fun option.
Take Reflections Bonny Hills Holiday Park, for example. Situated right beside Rainbow Beach, when you’re finally finished taking in those breathtaking views of dazzling white sands and glittering blue waters, you’ll have the nearby cosmopolitan Port Macquarie to explore, complete with its eclectic range of restaurants and shops. Later, you have the tranquil waterways of Camden Haven to stroll beside, while Bonny Hills is one of the best surfing beaches and fishing holes around. Back at base, there are safari tents, a camp kitchen, barbecues, pay TV, school holiday activities, a waterfront with beach access, and, of course, wifi!
BIG4 Deniliquin definitely has something for everyone! On the banks of the Edward River, this holiday park offers an adventure playground, flying fox, and two swimming pools – one heated. Or go a little further afield at the bike pump track, mini-golf, or the two private pontoon boats you can hire. You can also enjoy lots of sports like tennis, basketball, fishing, water sports, and skiing.
Now that you know what to expect from the burgeoning phenomenon known as glamping, find your local holiday park here and head out on your glamorous Australian camping adventure!